Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context

Mahira Hajiyeva

ABSTRACT: Colonial discourse was based on binary opposition of

“we”” and “other” in which the “other” was recognized as a fixed,
generalized image of the colonized. Postcolonial methodology
represented a new look which aimed to show the political importance of
culture in the formation and reflection of the above mentioned
imperialist ideology and opposed the durability of it. By this way, as a
part of culture literature has been viewed not only as aesthetic art but as
one of the most effective medium to convey socio-political ideology.
However, multiculturalism offers more liberal approach, free from
mutual accusation, which is based on the recognition of cultural
diversity. This is the only way to put an end to violence stemming from
indignation of cultural differences for political ambitions. Pakistani
English Literature sets an example of a multicultural milieu which
reflects not only the possibility of living side by side in spite of our
cultural multiplicity but also the possibility of acquiring a hybrid
identity, which gives a unique chance to live beyond borders and develop
our personality reflecting diversity of cultural heritage.

Keywords: imperialism, colonialism, recognition, cultural diversity,

multiculturalism, ideology, Pakistani English literature, Diaspora,
identity.
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 134

Introduction

Multiculturalism, as social philosophy, has emerged from the need to

reconcile cultural value systems. Literature, as a form of culture, has a
unique feature to be interpreted from different points of view and create a
sense of living through diverse life experiences without been directly
involved in the discussed issues. Multiculturalism finds its reflection in
the ideological aspect, thematic features, and stylistic elements of literary
composition. This study aims to discuss this opinion through the analysis
of Pakistani English Literature.

The main theme in Pakistani English Literature is closely linked with an

experience of immigration which is not simply geographical
displacement but a displacement of culture, history and ideas and causes
deep psychological crises and internal, moral conflict. This painful
experience finds its brilliant depiction in the works of Nadim Aslam,
Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie. They discuss the moral dilemma
stemming from confusion between nativity and alienation that exits not
only in society but also at home, between generations. At the same time,
they represent the possibility of living as a cultural hybrid, thinking
beyond migration concept.

We can observe a continuous development of novel as leading form in

Pakistani English Literature. It is not accidental. When Georg Lukacs
writes about a novel as an artistic form he notes that, the novel is “[…]
the representative art-form of our age: because the structural categories
of the novel constitutively coincide with the world as it is today” (93).
He explains it with the idea that novel, more than any other form, has
power to express an experience of “transcendental homelessness”. We
may say that Pakistani English novel conveys this idea closely linked to
immigration and displacement which in its turn is the reality of the world
today.

On the other hand, novel is a developing form. Novel has heteroglot

nature and symbolism. The chronotope in novel has a universal
character. It enables the writers like Mohsin Hamid and Kamila Shamsie
employ new innovative narration styles and structures leaving the
discussed issues open to the readers. By this way, time and space
specificity is replaced by a universal chronotope. In Pakistani English
literature, chronotope is created in the environment where the narration
takes place and in the characters’ inner world. The conflict between these
 Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context 135

two is the main cause behind the emotional, psychological dilemma that
causes identity crises. In this way, we observe confusion of abstract and
concrete chronotope that results in dialogic chronotope where the author
becomes at the same time both an outsider and an active participant of
this process.

Literature as a medium of ideology

Historical changes and political ideology have always affected the

interpretation of reality through culture. That is why exclusively innocent
literature does not exist because it cannot remain immune to political
ambitions.

Charles Taylor starts the Politics of Recognition with these words: “Our
identity is partly shaped by recognition or its absence, often by the
misrecognition of others, and so a person or group of people can suffer
real damage, real distortion, if the people or society around them mirror
back to them a confining or demeaning or contemptible picture of
themselves.”(1). When we look at the imperialist, colonial and
postcolonial discourse expressed through the literature of the time, we
can easily observe that the main idea behind socio-political ideology is
representation of difference. In this regard, literature plays a role of
mirror which shows the ideological policy and its reflection on a
particular society. For instance, we cannot but agree that, literature
played a significant role in formulating stereotyped images by the help of
which in colonial world, as a second part of the dualism “we” and
”they”, the black turned into the symbol of ugliness and evil, the eastern
became a type of irrational, deprived and immature creatures and Islam
acquired an image of terrorism. Today, the English language has become
a global language and when we speak about literature in English we no
longer mean standard native born English writers, we mean to consider a
substantial body of work created by the writers who put exclusive
Englishness under question creating “cultural topography” (Said Edward
39-52) based on positions and feelings. But, in order to understand a
particular work from this “topography” only the knowledge of the
language is not sufficient, one needs a close familiarity with the
environment in which these works are created. This is that exclusive
feature which stands against Western universalism and proves the
existence of cultural background as an inseparable part of identity, which
definitely finds its reflection without depending on the language
employed as a medium to express ideas. These writers also prove that
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 136

literature as an art of dialogue has a special place in understanding wide

range of cross-cultural communication. It can be easily observed in the
description of the “heart of black continent” by Conrad and by Achebe or
in the description of historical events at the time of partition by
Khushwant Singh and by Bapsi Sidhwa. Very often this literature has
been analyzed from the canonical point of view that views things only
one sided- as answers to colonial discourse. For example, Hellen Tiffin,
referring to Spvak claims that, “ Just as Jean Rhys writes back to
Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre in Wide Sargossa Sea, so Samuel Selvon
in Moses Ascending and J.M.Coetzee in Foe (and indeed throughout his
works) writes back to Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe ” (Ashcroft Bill
et al. 98). She sees these texts as answers to whole form of colonial
ideology. But, we think this approach limits literature in a type of
enclosure which is closed in never ending dualism of “we” and ”they”,
which proves that this binary opposition is repeated now in opposite
direction. Multicultural approach to this issue, however, displays that this
is simply a different perspective on the same events, artistic dialogue
between variety of cultural environments feeding from the political
ideologies who share the same history and experience and in this way we
can regard this literature not as a battlefield but as a medium which is
able to express variety of views regarding common historical experience.
By this way, literature which was used by imperial policy to create fixed,
stereotyped ideas, especially in the English language, due to its global
reach, can be seen as one of the most appropriate means to create liberal,
democratic environment in multicultural societies. Pakistani English
literature stands as a living example of this pioneering a new ideology
based on the values of multiculturalism.

Pakistani English Literature as a multicultural milieu.

When we look at Pakistani English literature developed by the writers

living within geographical borders of Pakistan and by Pakistani Diaspora
writers we observe a multicultural milieu not only due to the fact that the
writers represent different cultural background or because there is no
other way of reflecting pluralist society like in Pakistan, but because in
their works these writers reach beyond ethno linguistic, historical,
religious, geographical confines.

We observe that the dilemma of identity is the main problem in society

today. Generally speaking, the concept of belonging has a special
historical importance for Pakistan as for this country this notion has been
 Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context 137

defined through the struggle for independence. Cara N. Cilano writes, “

[…] idea, nation and state. In the Pakistani context these three terms
interrelate; the boundaries between them blur” (Cilano 2). Cilano
grounds this thought on the “two nations” theory, which guarded the idea
of independent Muslim state in the subcontinent. This was the idea which
led the Muslim community from community to nation and finally to the
formation of a country defining its political national identity.

The notion of nationhood stems from an idea and as we have mentioned,

in the case of Pakistani nationhood this idea was born in the process of
struggle for an independent country. As a cultural process literature has
been an integral part of this struggle. Asma Mansoor draws our attention
to the fact that Muslims had been the rulers of the sub-continent before
the consolidation of the British rule in India, after colonization they were
naturally eyed with suspicion and disfavor. She goes on saying that, in
order to dilute this scepticism and distrust that was visible in the hearts
and minds of the British, “the Muslim writers had to adjust and modify
their styles of writing to carve a niche within the newly established
system” (Mansoor 15). Munezza Shamsie also mentions that, the concept
behind Pakistani identity is “transgeographical and began as a discourse,
in response to the Muslim demand for political rights in an undivided
India” (Shamsie xv). Hence, we may say that Pakistani English literature
stemmed from the Muslims’ need for self- assertion and acted as a
medium through which national belonging found reflection. But, we
have to take into account that Islamic philosophy did not serve to enclose
the literature in limited mythical outlook, it rather presented wider
ideological base than that of colonialism, free of space and time which
was largely discussed in Muhammad Iqbal’s works. He regards Islam as
a cultural movement and notes that rejecting the old static view of the
universe Islam presents a dynamic view. He notes that, it rejects blood-
relationship as a basis of human unity, because, blood-relationship is
earth-rootedness. Thus, “Such a perception is creative of fresh loyalties
without any ceremonial to keep them alive, and makes it possible for
man to emancipate himself from the earth” (İqbal 63). So, Pakistani
English Literature may have formed as a form of self –assertion of
national belonging strongly related to religious belonging, but this does
not hold it limited in theme and form.

Iqbal’s ideas also present new approach towards identity noting that it
can comprise several elements, rather than be based on blood
relationship or land of birth. This helps to investigate another problem
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 138

that has often been discussed while talking about Pakistani identity,
especially identity problem aimed at Pakistani expatriate and diaspora
writers - the discussion around national belonging without taking into
consideration that belonging is also composed of cultural identity which
does not necessarily coincide with political national identity shown on
identity card. From this point of view, Pakistani English fiction provides
an interesting angle to this discussion. For example, Zulfikar Ghose’s
creative work requires a careful consideration. It reveals a fact that, “
[…] the critical culture, at least in certain quarters, is still more tribal and
ethnographic than national- cosmopolitan- and is not sufficiently well
equipped to deal with more sensitive issues of expatriation and exile” (
Hashimi 269). Thus, his creative world should be regarded as a milieu
where various cultural values blend, producing a complex cultural
belonging rather than being reviewed as a reflection of problematic
national belonging. These values find their depiction throughout
Pakistani English literature, in Ahmad Ali as mixture of Eastern and
Western cultural influences, in Suhrawardy as English- Persian –Bengal
experience, in Bapsi Sidhwa as perfect combination of the Panjabi-urdu-
gujrati-english languages and in Mohsin Hamid as an interesting
Pakistan-American worldview. When Alamgir Hashimi says, “The
matter should thus make one raise questions not only about a Pakistani
idiom in English, but also about “Pakistaniness”, what constitutes this,
that and the other? And who may best exemplify these? ” (Hashimi 269).
He tries to clarify the point we are discussing, what can be taken as a
decisive aspect of belonging or identity?

Frantz Fanon writes, “For a colonized people the most essential value,
because the most concrete, is first and foremost the land: the land which
will bring them bread and, above all, dignity” (Fanon 44). It is a fact that,
the land may be regarded as a primary designation of identity and that is
why Zulfikar Ghose in The Murder of Aziz Khan, Nadim Aslam in The
Season of the Rainbird or Moni Mohsin in The End of Innocence
describe it from this perspective. But, what happens if one day one starts
feeling as an alien on the land of his birth, as we observe in Bapsi
Sidhwa’s The Ice –Candy Man? What determines one’s national identity
when he becomes a stranger in the consequence of social political
circumstances? That is the main source of the feeling of alienation we
often observe in postcolonial literature. Thus, if the detachment from the
land deprives an identity of fulcrum we are left to search for an
alternative definition of belonging. That is why, in contemporary
Pakistani English literature, for example in Mohsin Hamid’s and Kamila
 Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context 139

Shamsie’s characters, who if we consider belonging as a category

determined by land of birth, despite living on the land they belong to,
face identity crises resulting from assumed differences between social
classes and cultural values and display the idea that identity cannot be
determined by one factor but is composed of various aspects and is in
constant formation process. We may as well say that, the way we are
approached by others influence the formation of our sense of belonging.
From philosophical point of view it is in fact, the attitude of the
surrounding that adds meaning to geographical location and defines it as
a modifier of national belonging. Namely, this elaborate or instinctive
attitude of others intensifies the main character of Mohsin Hamid’s novel
The Reluctant Fundamentalist Chengiz’s inner conflict which arises from
binary cultural values and forms his feeling of cultural belonging. By
depicting experience of cultural hybrid, practice bearing no difficulty for
the author himself, Mohsin Hamid displays a new approach to the notion
of belonging as a relative concept, as the only multicultural solution to
the problem. If the society fails to develop such an understanding of the
discussed idea, it will have to face agitated identity crises in individuals,
“[…]without an anchor, without a horizon, colorless, stateless, rootless” (
Fanon 218) or problems like extreme nationalism and fanaticism
stemming from past, imagination and myths, as the world has once gone
through at the result of colonial ideology based upon the ideology
feeding on national discrimination and generalization, and experience the
same human trauma once again. This is the type of belonging which has
undergone a formation process described by Frantz Fanon as, “[…] the
movements, the attitudes, the glances of the other fixed me there, in the
sense of which a chemical solution is fixed by a dye. I was indignant; I
demanded an explanation. Nothing happened. I burst apart. Now the
fragments have been put together again by another self” (Fanon 109).

Kamila Shamsie also displays very interesting point of view through her
character Hiroko regarding the notion of belonging not as contradictory
as it has usually been viewed. The way we appreciate this approach, see
the complex nature of comprehending local and global belonging without
regarding them as opposite poles leads the characters to find their place
in the world or on the contrary, in case they fail to achieve this approach
they are left to suffer in fanaticism, extremism and psychological crises.
Identity crises Chengiz suffers from is regarded from a new angle by
Kamila Shamsie in her novel Burnt Shadow character Hiroko Tanaka.
The author takes Hiroko through nuclear bombing in Nagasaki to war in
Indian Subcontinent, to Pakistani city of Karachi that is in turmoil due to
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 140

the war in Afghanistan and finally to New York where the 9/11terror
attack is experienced. In this way she depicts how violence causes the
same pain on human personality, how the events seen as unrelated gets
interrelated through their effect on personalities belonging to different
nations and the notion of belonging loses its primary importance in the
struggle of survival. Hiroko displays the relative nature of such
categories like national belonging and that makes it possible for her to
live through all the traumas in her life, the only way to survive which
could not be achieved by Chengiz in Mohsin Hamid’s novel.

Here we observe that the land is no longer regarded as a determiner of

national identity, but global belonging or hybrid identity stemming from
various cultural heritage and influences come into focus. It can be taken
as the most apt answer to identity crises discussed in postcolonial
methodology. Considering this, we may say that, the phase of turning
back to history in search of roots or regarding geographical location as
defining factor of belonging is already over, contemporary Pakistani
English literature depicts the complex formation process of national
belonging and identity where past, including colonial experience, present
and potential future find reflection, displays the writers’ attitude and
using unique opportunity provided by literary techniques invites the
reader to take part in narration and consider individual approach to the
matter.

Pakistani English literature clearly displays that cultural diversity in

society cannot be regarded as a cause of contradictions unless they are
used for political purpose. The society composed of diverse cultural
heritage may face violence only as a result of deliberate or inappropriate
political ambitions. Ahmad Ali in Twilight in Delhi, Bapsi Sidhwa in
Cracking India, Sorayya Khan in Noor, and Nadim Aslam in Season of
the Rainbirds express this point using realistic style while Mohsin Hamid
chooses allegory to convey a similar idea. His novel Moth Smoke starts
with an interesting prologue which states that the sufi saint’s predictions
prove right and, “Imprisoned in his fort at Agra, staring at the Taj he had
built, an aged Shah Jahan received as a gift from his youngest son the
head of his eldest. Perhaps he doubted, then, the memory that his boys
had once played together, far from his supervision and years ago, in
Lahore. ..When the uncertain future becomes the past, the past in turn
becomes uncertain” (Hamid 5). The novel ends with such an epilogue,
“Emperor Aurangzeb dictated a final letter to his favorite daughter. “I
reflect now on my life with sadness,” he wrote. “Tell my sons not to fight
 Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context 141

as we did. To teach I will leave a portion of my lands, so he needs not

make war on his brothers.” .But merciless Aurangzeb, who faced an
elephant without fear as a child and ruled his empire as a land of one
belief, failed at the task of fathering sons unlike himself. …Fission of
empire, a new fusion, then fission again as children parted ways.”
(Hamid 246). By naming his heroes after Moghol princes who had
become enemy to each other (Ozi-Aurangzeb and Daru-Dara Shikoh)
and by setting the story of Lahore in 1990 at the background of Moghol
history the author tries to attract the readers’ attention to the shared
history of two nuclear powered countries of the Subcontinent, by this
way, inviting us to see the underlying political causes behind ethnic,
religious, ideological misunderstanding and conflicts. We can easily see
how these conflicts cause violence as depicted in Ice-Candy Man by
Bapsi Sidhwa. While reading the novel the reader not only travels
through multicultural society of pre-partition and newly formed Pakistan,
but also gets a chance to view how easily pluralist society can change
into ethnic battleground due to political games which are often
manipulated by foreign powers. The novel is a story of trauma in which
violence finds its vivid depiction. However, the choice of nine years old
Polio affected child as a narrator gives the writer an opportunity to easy
the heavy tone and readers’ attention does not linger on those scenes
thanks to the innocent child’s narration in which she often confuses
literal and metaphorical meaning of things which on its term helps the
reader explore absurdity in human actions. Multiculturalism finds its
reflection in literature by the chosen agency. Bapsi Sidhwa’s characters
in this regard, usually come from different cultural background, she also
tries to explore women’s position in multicultural societies where they
face double pressure, who are regarded not as part of events but as
symbols on which violence is acted and her position as a multicultural
writer enables her to explore these issues from a neutral and more
objective point of view. Unfortunately we do not easily learn from
history, as we can see how the violence of 1947 was repeated in 1971 as
Sorayya Khan tries to remind in her novel Noor. By depicting the past,
these writers do not try to remind us who must be blamed for the
misfortunes inflicted on societies in history, we should regard them as a
call to stop regarding each other as symbols reflecting diversity of
believe systems rather than humans in order not to give way to outrage
that one generation witnessed, the following forgot, failed to control and
repeatedly lived throughout history. Development of a society in
harmony passes not from forgetting but remembering and forgiving.
Literature gives us this unique chance to review the past. By visualizing
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 142

events and seeing the results, literature can serve to create ideology
which enables empiric understanding of cultural diversity and help to
choose appropriate policy to keep balance in a multicultural society.

As a multicultural milieu, Pakistani English literature develops by

Pakistani Diaspora writers living beyond geographical borders of this
country. When we talk about Diaspora literature the main questions we
face are related to national identity and the difference between immigrant
and Diaspora literature. Personality is formed by political geographical
factor which is reflected in official national identity. Our cultural
heritage which cannot depend on our geographical position comprises
our cultural identity which may and may not find its reflection on our
official identity. People who immigrated from Pakistan to other countries
changed their geographical positions and in this way changed their
national identity, but their cultural identity remained unaltered and
continued to develop under the new condition. The new generation did
not immigrate, but were born in immigration, so acquired a kind of
hybrid identity under the cultural environment of the family and the
country in which they were born, but were still considered foreigners due
to their cultural identity, thus they dwell in a position between the local
and global, between two different cultural heritages which give them
unique opportunity to observe both sides with equal familiarity. That is
why it is more appropriate to call them Diaspora rather than immigrants.
This feature enables the writers like Nadeem Aslam, Sorayya Khan,
Sehba Sarwar and others to find a meeting point between past, nostalgia
and present, between abstract vision of homeland and land of their birth
or the society they are a part of. Through their personality and works we
see how personality can develop comprising diverse cultural heritage,
first experiencing inner conflict, identity crises to find a true self, true
identity and finally learn to find a balance and achieve inner peace, live
comfortably as a multicultural personality.

Conclusion

In this article, I tried to examine Pakistani English Literature from the

perspective of multiculturalism. Basic value system of multiculturalism
is based on the recognition of deference.

In Pakistani English Literature this idea is expressed through depicting

two themes- racial/gender equality and assimilation of immigrants; in the
ideological aspect representing a unique possibility of living as a
 Pakistani English Literature in Multicultural Context 143

culturural hybrid; in stylistic elements employing innovative methods,

symbolism and dialogic chronotope. By this way, literature acquires
heteroglot, polyphonic features and Pakistani English Literature acquires
transgeographical reach and universal character.
 Journal of Research (Humanities) 144

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